BUENOS AIRES – Argentine President Mauricio Macri said Tuesday during a public event in western Mendoza province that “2018 will be a good year” because Argentines understand that they have to “work together” and support “the culture of work” to reduce the national debt and achieve an economic surplus.

“2018 will be a good year for us Argentines. We’re going to do a great deal more than we did in 2017 because we understand that we have to work together ... supporting the culture of work (and) personal effort,” the president said during the ceremony launching repaving work on a portion of National Highway 143 in the city of San Rafael.

“Good parents don’t leave debts for their children. So, we all must be committed to reducing, as soon as possible, the fiscal deficit and transforming it into a surplus so that instead of leaving debts, we’re paying off debts,” he said.

Macri emphasized his administration’s efforts to resurface highways around the country and insisted on his desire to expand Argentina’s highway network “as soon as possible.”

“We’re very happy to be here ... (to) repair a basic artery for San Rafael residents” that will allow the “movement of production” and help small and medium businesses, Macri said regarding the repaving of a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) stretch of highway, the result of cooperation among the national, provincial and local governments.

He also noted the preparation of children’s playgrounds, support for local producers via the opening of new markets so that “production can move forward” and his support for “transparent” bidding on renewable energy projects to fight climate change.

“We all really have to do our part. We Argentines should be very proud because in this bidding process ... we’ve authorized 147 renewable energy projects” in 18 provinces, Macri said.

Both the government and the public have to make a commitment “to the fight against climate change ... (because) these fires, these tragedies that are occurring in Argentina, floods, landslides ... are all linked with global warming,” the president said.

Early on Tuesday, Macri and Mendoza Gov. Alfredo Cornejo took a helicopter flight over the zone affected by several forest fires over the past week that have devastated 120,000 hectares (about 300,000 acres).

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